


The Adventures of the Carnaster

by AsceOfSpades



Series: AotC Universe [1]
Category: Original Work, The Adventures of the Carnaster
Genre: AotC, Fantasy, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-06
Updated: 2017-10-06
Packaged: 2019-01-09 19:09:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12282639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AsceOfSpades/pseuds/AsceOfSpades
Summary: Aerwyn is innocent, but the queen isn't. And she's going to pay for what she's done.





	The Adventures of the Carnaster

Aerwyn ran. It wasn't difficult to run, usually, that is, but she hadn't eaten for a few days, and it was starting to take its toll. She had just stolen enough food to _maybe_ last a week when the Ranagha spotted her. She wanted to stop, to turn and fight them, but it definitely wasn’t a good idea to use magyk in a crowded area like the markets. Besides, she was so malnourished she didn't think she had a good chance, no matter how good she was.

That brought her to the here and now, dodging through groups of people with a practiced ease, her skirt and cloak flapping wildly behind her. Idly, she wondered if there was another reason as to why they were chasing her. It was, hopefully, only because she was caught stealing food. Vontrol had fairly strict laws when it came to stealing the hard work of its people. She snorted, pushing herself harder than she thought she could be pushed as the forest came into view. There were much better reasons to be chasing her, after all, and such a small offense was rather comical. The brown hood of her cloak had fallen off during her impromptu run, exposing her dark brown braided hair. She made it to the forest the second the Ranas caught up, and was soon lost in the maze of trees.

She panted quietly behind one, a dark-barked tree with dark silver leaves, peering around it to see three Ranas looking dumbfounded, obviously wondering if they should continue their chase. She laughed silently as they turned to go, marveling at the fact that they had actually let a criminal go. They had never been so stupid or so cowardly when _she_ had been in charge. Shaking her head fondly, she slid down the trunk and opened the meager sack of food.

Reaching in, she pulled out a warm loaf of bread, fresh from the oven. Biting into it, she practically moaned, but when she heard a light-hearted feminine chuckle, she froze. Peeking around the thick tree trunk, she saw none other than her partner in crime. Aerwyn exhaled in relief and shook her head at her friend, biting into the bread once more and pointing to a spot on the silvery, leaf-covered ground in front of her. As Zelera passed her, she kissed Aerwyn on the top of the head. Aerwyn grinned happily at her friend, but kept eating the delicious pastry, acting as if it was a feast fit for a king. Zelera sat across from her and reached into the bag, her stomach rumbling. She pulled out a juicy red apple, mouth watering as she bit into it. The juices ran down her chin as she savored her first bite of food in a week.

Aerwyn laughed, swallowing her own mouthful before she choked. Zelera opened her eyes as she felt her chin, sticky from the apple. As Zelera swiped angrily at the juice, a loud caw and a fluttering of wings disturbed them both. A large black bird was circling above the forest, but it hadn't seen them yet. And for that, the two were thankful. Cursing, Aerwyn grabbed the small sack and tied it closed before running deeper into the forest, knowing Zelera would follow behind her. They were soon lost in its murky darkness, even with the sun shining overhead. No one ventured into the forest. Not if they wanted to keep their heads.

 

* * *

 

"Aerwyn stop! It won't circle this part of the forest!" Zelera called. Aerwyn's form was rapidly disappearing from her view. If Zelera had eaten a decent meal, she would have been able to keep up with her quicker friend. She crouched next to an oaken tree with a dark hollow in the middle of it, looking for the apple she had dropped while running. Peering inside it, she saw her eyes reflected back at her. No no these were NOT her eyes. Just a fraction of a second too late she realized just what they were. A black hand, the hand of a Daemon, reached out of the hollow towards her, and she scrambled backwards. It grabbed her ankle with a chilling strength. With her other foot, she kicked at it. She was suddenly yanked backwards, her ankle falling from its grasp. A thick broadsword cut the arm clean off. A loud screech sounded from within, followed by the sound of wood being scratched. The creature gasped for breath as Aerwyn stuck her sword into the hollow, leaving it there as it disappeared. A wet noise was heard, and Zelera took a deep breath, as blueish-black blood trickled out of the hollow. Zelera took another deep breath before turning to her friend.

"If you had just stopped when I told you to, this wouldn't've been a problem." She frowned. Aerwyn shrugged, hoisting the food sack to her other shoulder.

  
"The world is fine without another of those damned creatures anyway." She replied before sitting down with her back against the tree. It was near nightfall; they had been running for a lot longer than should've been possible. The realm of Vontrol was virtually quiet, save for a few crickets chirping. Aerwyn allowed herself to relax and breathe in the forest. Rain, fresh dirt, a smidgen of blood from a certain Daemon… What she didn't expect to smell was smoke. Her eyes snapped open.

  
"Zelera, you smell that, right?" She asked. Zelera sniffed the air and sprang to her feet, the sack on her back this time.

  
"We can't stay here, not if they're trying to smoke us out. We have to go to Raylan." Aerwyn couldn’t help but frown and grumble when she heard this.

  
"But I don't _want_ to go to Raylan! Do you not _remember_ last time?" She complained. Zelera turned to her, a glint in her eyes.

  
"You and I remember ‘last time’ a little differently." She smiled, spinning around again to continue walking, Aerwyn following reluctantly. As the forest burned, smoke filling the air, the two girls escaped to the edges of town, to a certain cottage they knew would be waiting just for them.

 

* * *

 

Zelera pushed aside a branch in the tree she was sitting in. Aerwyn was in the shrubbery beneath her, grumbling about Raylan, calling him a ‘Jokyr’. _Anyone_ who knew Raylan knew that it was an accurate description. He never took things seriously, not unless his friends were in danger. That’s what he told them when they stumbled into his cottage a year ago, bruised, beaten, and bloody. That no one hurt his friends… especially not new friends. It was the start of a friendship beneficial to their survival, and though Aerwyn complained often, anyone with eyes could see she worried about him. Zelera looked through the branches at his small cottage. A small light flickered in one of the windows. She assumed it was the fireplace, meaning that he was awake. Unless he had let the fire burn all night again...

  
"Aerwyn quit complaining and let’s go." Zelera jumped deftly from the tree and landed in front of her friend. Aerwyn jumped backwards.

  
"Alright, goddesses, don't scare me like that!!" She stood up and stretched, like a cat in the sun. Zelera and Aerwyn approached the door cautiously, silver, black, and white foliage crackling beneath their boots. Zelera knocked lightly on the door, humming quietly to herself, masking the footsteps as they strode towards them from behind.

  
"Well, well, look who's finally decided to come and visit." A voice said from behind. Zelera could practically hear the grin embedded in it. But Aerwyn, survival instincts deeply ingrained in her, summoned a dagger and held it to the man's throat.

  
"Dammit Raylan! Don't scare us like that!" She growled, the dagger disappearing as suddenly as it had appeared. Raylan grinned and stepped past them to open the door. He walked through the threshold, leaving the door open for Aerwyn and Zelera. Closing it behind her, Aerwyn took a seat by the window, _her_ seat by the window. It was a fluffy armchair, and she leaned back into it, struggling to stay awake. Zelera sat in front of the fire, Raylan on the couch behind her. Raylan looked between the two and grinned maniacally.

  
"What happened to _you_?" Aerwyn rolled her eyes, turning to stare out the window as Zelera told the short version. Ranas, Daemon, forest on fire. Raylan listened with his eyebrow cocked. As Zelera finished, Raylan sat back and pondered it.

  
"They're getting serious, looking for you two. They've never brought fire into the forest before..." he hummed. Aerwyn sighed, closing her eyes for what seemed like only a brief moment. But when her eyes shot open it was dawn. Yawning, she narrowed her eyes, attempting to see what looked like bobbing lights in the distance. She recognized torches approaching the cottage, carried by a large group of what was likely Ranaghas. Or angry villagers. She wasn’t sure which was worse. Her eyes widened.

  
"Zelera, we need to leave. NOW!" She exclaimed, abandoning the chair she had been resting in. Zelera looked up from the book in her hands, her back to the bookshelf. It looked like she had been about to doze off. Glancing between Raylan, who was staring at the ceiling as he lay on the couch, and his bookshelf, she pocketed it and stood, blinking wearily. Raylan looked over from his position on the couch. For once he looked serious.

  
"Take me with you."


End file.
